Studying at university is similar to studying at high school in some ways. For instance, each semester you will be doing 5 or 6 different subjects at once, and the time devoted to each will be spread out over the week into 2-3 hours of classes and a similar amount of time on self-study and assignments.

Some of the differences between study at high school and study at university are:

1.At university you are expected to be self-motivated, and need to be organised and disciplined in order to pass subjects. You should be at university to learn, not because you have to be there. Developing a good study ethic is part of your transition to a professional career. Also, the teachers (lecturers and tutors) have far too many students in each of their subjects to worry about the progress of individual students.

2.Subjects are generally taught firstly in mass lectures (up to 400 students in the lecture hall) then secondly in much smaller tutorial groups, where you will be expected to prepare work based on the topics introduced in the lecture and have the chance to ask questions. Increasing use of Internet-based software is replacing some of the traditional face-to-face teaching time, while increasing the learning options for students. Attendance at lectures and tutorials is not compulsory - again, it is up to you whether you pass the subject or not.

3.You don't have to wear school uniforms!

The Transition from School to University

The university is a big place and there are literally thousands of students. It is easy to get lost among such a big crowd, especially when you may not know anyone else or where to go when you first arrive, or that the friends you do know are doing different classes to you. The Bachelor of Accounting program takes special steps to make the transition from secondary school to university much easier:

1.The Bachelor of Accounting course starts in mid-January for new students, more than a month before the rest of the university arrives back from the summer break. In these six weeks of fast-track study you will meet your fellow BAcc students and the staff of the program, explore the university and the CBD of Sydney on day excursions, socialise together in the evenings, all while managing to complete a basic introduction to accounting and the business world. By the end of this period, as other first-year university students arrive to start their courses, you will feel very much at home.

2.Bachelor of Accounting students generally study together in the same tutorial group. This means you are with the same group of friends for most of your subjects, just like at high school.

3.There are many people who you will soon get to know who can help you to settle in. These include older students in the course, staff of the program, and the sponsor mentors you will be working with in the industry semesters. As a student in the Bachelor of Accounting you are instantly part of a large network of contacts and friends.

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